Hunter and prey plunge to death

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Link:

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060722/asp/guwahati/story_6508936.asp

 

Hunter and prey plunge to death

A STAFF REPORTER

 

 

July 21: The pursuer and the pursued, both met their ends together

when a leopard chased a dog to its death, as well as its own. It

never realised it would be his last chase when it spotted the dog in

the wee hours today.

 

Spotting the leopard, the dog ran for its life with the big cat hot

on its heels. After some distance, the dog fell into a well, having

failed to spot it in the dark. The leopard, continuing its chase,

followed suit.

 

Divisional forest minister of Guwahati state zoo, Narayan Mahanta,

said he got a call at 5.30 am from the Guwahati wildlife division

and also from the police, that a leopard had fallen into a well at

Durga Sarovar under Jalukbari police station. The police were

informed by local residents, who were awakened by the roar and bark

of the leopard and the dog.

 

Jagat Medhi, a resident of the area, said, " I did not look at the

clock but I think it must have been around 3.30 am. I woke up

hearing the leopard's roar. I came out with a stick and a torch but

could not spot it. Then I followed the sound and found it in the

well. " He added that the leopard was still alive.

 

" He was shivering in the well and desperately trying to claw its way

up when I first saw it but drowned later, " Mahanta said.

 

Officials from the Guwahati wildlife division also reached the spot.

 

The leopard was later taken to the zoo and cremated. It was a full-

grown one, aged between eight and 10 years.

 

There has been a series of incidents where leopards have strayed out

of their shrinking habitats in search of food and caused panic in

the city.

 

A forest official said massive destruction of forest areas and

biotic pressure over the habitat have led to the leopards coming out

of their territory into the open. A baseline study has to be carried

out on the leopards in the city to help chalk out a strategy to

tackle the problem. " We must first know their numbers before a

strategy can be chalked out, " the official added.